The King's Speech
by Van Bishup
Summary: Pokémon Liberation. We trainers know that it is a joke. How could anyone believe something like that? However, for the members of Team Plasma, the joke was very, very real. Follow Ghetsis on his trip across Unova, as seen by the grunts around him.
1. Nuvema Town

**1\. Nuvema Town**

"My name is Ghetsis. I am here today representing Team Plasma. Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to talk to you about pokémon liberation."

I watched him in fascination. He spoke with an authority that could not be ignored and with a conviction that drew people. Whether they agreed with him or not, they could not turn away.

"Pokémon are creatures of unknown potential. They are creatures from which we humans can learn much. They are creatures whose greatness we should acknowledge, who should be freed from our oppression! "

The crowd mummered, but they were no longer as openly hostile. There were a few trainers in the back who clutched their pokéballs protectively and tried to make eye contact with Ghetsis. It was a challenge, to fight them and see how powerful they were.

The older folk listened and some shook their heads and walked away. Others touched their pokéballs self-consciously and looked angry and a little sad. Others watched us.

"What are you doing here, boy?" asked an old man as he limped away, leaning heavily on his stoutland. "Aren't you too old for this nonsense?"

"This is not nonsense," I replied. "This is the will of my Lord N, the king for whom Ghetsis speaks. We have no right to cage pokémon!"

"You carry pokémon at your side, boy!" snapped the old man. "These fancy words, they don't mean anything. In the end, you're no better than we are."

I flushed. It was true, after all. At my side, I carried the whirlipede and the liepard that Team Plasma had issued me. I did not like it, because it was contrary to what I had joined Team Plasma for, but I wanted to see Lord N's vision fulfilled and I would do whatever it took to accomplish that.

I started to tell the old man that, that these pokémon were just a temporary thing, but then I realized how many people were listening. Quite a few people were now paying attention to the old man. I looked to Ghetsis and to my horror found that he was looking back at me. His eye was narrowed and his brows drawn together. He was still speaking, but the set of his mouth was grim.

I turned away, chastened.

"Just like I thought," the old man grumbled.

I stared straight ahead, refusing to look at anyone. Ghetsis continued his speech, but I did not hear. I was caught in a web of should-haves. The grunts next to me snickered and I hurriedly quelled the burst of anger that resulted.

"Ghetsis is going to ream you for stealing his spotlight," Candace whispered.

"You should care more!" I hissed with feeling. "That man's stoutland could have been freed if I had the right words. Lord N would be..."

"Who said anything about Lord N?" grunted Wilhelm. "Shut up both of you. We aren't supposed to talk."

I was angry, but able to return my attention to Ghetsis. He continued as if there had been no interruption and he did not look at me, but at the crowd.

"We call pokémon our partners, but is that really true? Pokémon are subject to the selfish commands of trainers. They get pushed around as our 'partners' at work. You may think that pokémon and people need each other. Is that true, or is it just what we tell ourselves so we can justify enslaving these marvelous beings?" Ghetsis looked around slowly, seeming to meet the eye of everyone. "Can anyone say with confidence that there is no truth to what I'm saying?"

This was the best part, the one I liked he most. This is where the crowd quieted and you could separate those who listened from those who refused to hear. There was guilt on every face, if only for a moment. Who here had not forced their pokémon? We were raised to believe that it was the trainer's duty to make them strong, whatever it took, however necessary. The moment passed quickly, but Ghetsis always struck at the height of its strength.

"Tell me, what is our responsibility to these wonderful beings called pokémon?" he asked, always in a quiet voice that still carried to the corners of the crowd.

Everyone was still then, floored by the question. The answer would have been different at the start, but now they all felt it. The answer was in all their minds and Ghetsis had yet to even state it. I breathed slow, inspired anew.

"Let them go?" The little girl's voice was loud in the hush.

Ghetsis turned to her with a smile and a nod.

"Our world has always been led by our youth. They can see more clearly than we can. Yes, we must 'let them go.' Only when both sides are truly free, then, and only then, will people and pokémon be equals. Ladies and gentlemen, I end my words here today imploring you to consider the relationship between people and pokémon, and the correct way to proceed. We sincerely thank you for your attention."

That was the end. It was our cue to leave. We surrounded Ghetsis in our proper formation and left as neatly and abruptly as we came.

It was Ghetsis' way to avoid questions from large crowds. I did not understand. To leave while the crowd's interest was still up seemed strange to me. There were still people out there, many who would be receptive to N's message! To leave now, it was almost treacherous!

I mused over that on our trip back to the hotel and over dinner. I was no closer to an answer. Too many questions gripped me.

I left the others to their distractions. It was hard for me to connect with them. They were silly, shallow children who would only laugh if I tried to discuss things with them. It was frustrating. I joined Team Plasma to understand better what Lord N believed, but they gave us only the basic tenets. They were confusing too. It is wrong to own pokémon, but we only liberate them from wicked people. Team Plasma will steal every pokémon in the world, but that girl there, return her pokémon. The friendship between people and pokémon is touching, but we are selfish to own them! Lord N is King of Team Plasma, but Ghetsis makes all the decisions...

"I'm no closer to understanding anything!" I spat.

"What is it that you want to understand?" asked Ghetsis.

I stiffened. Ghetsis stood in the doorway, but he looked different. His odd, billowing robe was gone, replaced with a simple button-up and slacks. He had pulled his hair back into a ponytatail and he carried a tea tray in his hands. His eyepiece remained, and it looked odd beside the normality.

This was too strange and too sudden. Ghetsis could be fickle, or so I had heard. I was already in trouble with him because of my failure today. I would take no chances.

"Ghetsis," I said, dropping to one knee. It was overly formal and I flushed at the thought of reverencing anyone but N this way.

However, Ghetsis made an approving sound.

"Overdone, but I appreciate your fealty. You may rise," he said.

I did as he said, shivering at the masterful edge in his voice. He sounded regal and eerily like Lord N. It inspired more questions. N was young after all, who trained him to be a king?

"The others said you were here. That is well. I wanted to talk to you." He gestured to a table flanked by two armchairs. "Sit down."

I did as I was told. Ghetsis followed, setting the tray down on the table. He did not sit down and instead began to make tea.

"I prefer hondew leaf myself, with a little honey," he said amicably. "It soothes the throat and it wouldn't do for me to lose my voice. You don't mind?"

"Lor... Ghetsis, I apologize for my actions today," I said, barely catching the honorific in time.

Ghetsis did not even look at me, though his lips quirked slightly in acknowledgment of my strangled use of the title. I looked away in shame. My attention caught on Ghetsis' hands as he prepared the tea. It was hypnotic, the smooth and rythmatic way he moved.

"You encountered a small crisis today," Ghetsis said. "You were asked a question that you were not prepared for. Tell me, how do you think you responded?"

"Badly," I said bitterly. "I failed to defend the honor of my Lord N and jeopardized your speech. I failed in all ways."

"I disagree," Ghetsis said. He carefully shifted the hondew leaves into the strainer. "I believe that you did well."

"But I failed! I was unable to defend my position and I drew attention away from you! I could very well have made this whole venture a failure!"

Ghetsis made an amused noise, "You were an important person before you joined Team Plasma. No, don't protest," he said at my immediate negative. "It doesn't matter if you really were or not. It was how you perceived yourself, and reality is only our perception of it." He settled the strainer into the teapot and closed the lid. He flipped over a tiny hourglass. "Tell me what really bothers you about today."

"My failure," I said.

"Which one?" Ghetsis asked, finally settling into his chair.

He finally met my eyes and my nonanswer died on my lips. His gaze was soothing and centering. I dismissed my knee-jerk response and went with a different one.

"I am disappointed that I didn't sound like you," I said and was surprised at how right that sounded.

"Really?" Ghetsis sounded surprised and pleased, but I could not shake the feeling that he expected my answer. "How so?"

"He asked me why we carry pokémon when we preach pokémon liberation. He said we were no better than everyone else. I wanted to give a good answer, but nothing would come. I don't understand why we carry pokémon! I don't understand why there's a difference between us and everyone else. Why are we special, why do we get to enslave them? It doesn't make sense! It's wrong, it's so wrong!"

"You are very close to discovering a key component in the arsenal of great orators, but get control of yourself. You must always remain collected if you wish to keep a speech on track." The hour glass ran out then. Ghetsis reached for a small set of tongs and lifted the lid of the teapot. He gently pulled the strainer out of the water. "I have noticed your attention while I speak. You watch me constantly, and you experience every emotion. What is your goal?"

"My goal?" I asked, but it was a pensive question.

Ghetsis arranged the two tea cups with a strange ceremony. He lifted the teapot and filled the cups. He set the teapot down.

"Choose one," he said, indicating the two.

One cup was black and one was white. I selected the white one. Ghetsis took the black and stirred in a spoon of honey. I did the same and took a sip. The tea was surprisingly spicy with a bracing bitterness that was a little unpleasant, but the honey made it bearable. It left a dry taste in my mouth that melded well with the honey's lingering sweetness.

"They say the white dragon of legend appeared to a man seeking the truth," Ghetsis said thoughtfully. "That legend is relevant here today. You aren't like the others. They have no direction. They joined Team Plasma because of my pretty words and the pervasive discontentment that disillusions our youth. You have also been disillusioned, but in a way much different than those children outside. They joined Team Plasma looking for a better world, an ideal existence without war or strife," he said, swirling the black cup thoughtfully. "You honestly seek the truth."

"There's nothing special about that," I said, embarrassed at the attention. It was too close to home, but I could not help but be gratified by Ghetsis' instruction. This was what I had craved from the moment I joined Team Plasma.

"You're correct. There is nothing special about seeking the truth. Everyone looks for one or the other. What is special about your search is something else entirely," Ghetsis said, taking a sip of his tea.

"I don't understand," I said. I felt silly, as if the answer were right in front of me; however, I also felt giddy with excitement. I hung on every word, waiting for him to tell me what was missing.

"You don't just want to find the truth, you want to share it. You want others to believe and understand, just like you."

I nearly dropped the cup.

"Great God," I breathed. "That's it! That's exactly right!"

"What frustrates you is your inability to share that truth, thus your lust for my oratory skills," Ghetsis said with a sharp smile. He reached over and set a hand on my arm. "I see great potential in you. It is my nature to nurture a person's potential. You could become an asset to Team Plasma one day, perhaps even a sage."

"Lord Ghetsis, don't say such things!" I said, too euphoric to mind the honorifics.

"Now, remember your king," he protested, but without any true heart. He liked to be called that. "Finish your tea. It is late and we are due in Accumula Town by the afternoon. I am retiring for the night. "

"Wait, please! There's so much I want to know, so many questions that I want to ask!"

"I will answer them in due time, but not now and not tonight. You need time to process what you've learned," he said, standing.

I finished my tea and set the cup down. Ghetsis collected everything and arranged it in a way that satisfied him. He picked up the tea tray.

"I enjoyed myself tonight. Our talk was very enlightening. Understand, it is not my... ah, Team Plasma's intention to leave our members wayward and lost. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them. It is the duty of the Sages to teach more than N."

"Will you teach me to speak?" I asked desperately. "Can you teach me to speak like you do? Can you show me how to sway minds with my voice?"

"Is that what you want?" Ghetsis asked. His voice soft but his smile was sharp enough to draw blood.

"Yes, more than anything else in the world," I said.

"What's your name?" Ghetsis asked.

"Rex," I responded. How odd, I knew that he knew my name. He had never used it, but our group was composed of members that he had selected personally.

"Rex," Ghetsis looked pensive. "Is that so? What is in a name after all?" he muttered to himself. At my blank look, he composed his face back into the regal look that he always wore. "Well, Rex, we will see what tomorrow holds. For now, this is good night."

"Yes, Lord Ghetsis," I sighed.

The memory of his sharp smile stayed with me all night.


	2. Route 1

**2\. Route One**

The next day saw our trek to Accumula Town. It was a far walk, but we covered the ground effectively and we always started early. Marcus and Candace carried our banners today. I shouldered only supplies. It was a light burden, though. We would make Accumula by tonight and we intended on resting at the hotel, as usual. Very little camping happened when one traveled with a sage, although Ghetsis was never adverse to it, we all suspected that he preferred being under a roof. Us grunts would not disagree, as it meant less time packing and unpacking camp, and fixing meals besides.

On the down side, it required us to haul a fair amount of unnecessary gear. That never bothered me. I had always been strong, and I had lived a strong life. The kids were feeling it though. They groaned and complained, but whining together seemed to give them strength. On most days, it amused me to think that these young teens and twenty-somethings could not keep up with an old thirty-two year old like me; however, I was very preoccupied today.

I had barely slept last night, driven by the euphoric sensation of finally discovering my new goal in life. At my age, life had been pretty well planned out. Then N came and flipped my world, leaving me reeling and directionless. The despair had slowly overtaken me, but now I knew! I wanted to be a speaker. I wanted to take N's message to every town and to every person in it. This thought, though, was what had dampened my spirits. I could not speak.

Speeches had never been a part of my life. Inspiring others had no place in my word of absolutes. I knew what had to be done, and I gave the orders that got me there. If a person or pokémon could not fulfill those orders, than I had no use for them. The thought of inspiring others was a foreign concept.

Until Lord N, I had never felt that dizzying sense of awe. I would have been contemptuous of those who did, but now it was different. What I felt for Lord N was deeper than mere awe. It was a fierce devotion that I felt without really understanding. That would have worried me before, but now it just seemed right.

Ghetsis did awe me though. I would have been incapable of feeling this before N, but now I could understand what it was like to be deeply moved and impressed by another. Everything seemed so easy for him. Everything he did, he did with decision and power. Facing down hostile crowds did not faze him. With only his words, he turned them into his followers and brought them to the true knowledge of Lord N.

He was perceptive, too. He had never spoken to me before, yet was able to reveal my life's purpose after only a minute's conversation. He was in control of everything, like I had been before. I admired and coveted that. I missed the feeling of being in control.

"I see that you did not sleep well," Ghetsis said.

I looked up in surprise. Ghetsis was speaking to me here, in front of the others! After last night, I was sure that our little talk would be a one-time thing. Despite his words, Ghetsis was too important to speak to the likes of me. That he would speak to me now...!

"You are correct. I... could not sleep," I admitted.

"You look more than tired. I trust you spent your time last night in thought. What have you discovered?" Ghetsis asked, falling into step with me.

"It was just... well, there was so much to process, I just..." I stammered.

"Rex," Ghetsis spoke with an indulgent humor, but there was a hardness to his words, "take your time. There is no need to fill your sentences with prattling. It evidences an indecisive mind, and it does not lend itself to clear, concise oration."

"I apologize, Lord Ghetsis," I said. A flush rose in my cheeks and I looked away.

The old me never stammered. The old me never apologized. The old me knew what he was about, and he knew the steps that would take him there. This new man, he was not so confident. Things did not make as much sense as they used to.

"Just speak your mind. Tell me what you know," Ghetsis prompted.

"I want to be a speaker," I said, taking time to make sure my words were clear and precise.

Ghetsis nodded. I waited for him to say something, but he was quiet. He walked alongside me without looking at me, hardly seeming to pay me any mind at all. This emboldened me, and I mentally readied my thoughts.

"I want to speak. I want to take Lord N's message to everyone. I want to do like you do. I want to walk into a strange place, somewhere I've never been, and bring the truth to them. I want to do that, and I want to do it without fear. I want to speak; I want my words to ring with confidence. I... I want to see... I want to see the looks on their faces," I finished weakly, cursing myself for the stammer.

"The looks on their faces?" Ghetsis asked.

I flushed. I had not meant to say that. I started to take it back, but Ghetsis was looking at me again. It was the same look that he had used on me last night. It was funny, that so much could be expressed in one look, but I could not retract my words. They had interested Ghetsis.

"Yes," I admitted, "I watch the crowd as much as you. You can see it, how your words hit or miss. You know this, I know you do, but I... the part I like best is the moment when a person... loses his defenses. Because, that's the moment when they really understand. I like that, that moment," I finished.

"I see," Ghetsis said after a beat. He looked pensive a moment, then said, "So, you are certain that you want to be a speaker."

"Yes, I'm sure. I want more than anything to spread N's message," I sighed, remembering the problem. "I want to, but I can't speak!"

"Really? What are you disappointed with?" Ghetsis asked.

"Don't jest. You heard me yesterday! I couldn't say a word!"

"I did hear you, but what I remember is very different," Ghetsis said sharply. "I heard an old man question my followers, and I heard one of my men respond. He responded with confidence and without rancor. He was not afraid to speak up. He was not ashamed of what he believed."

I was stunned. I would never have viewed it like that.

"He was in the background, yet many gave him their attention. He was at the center of all that attention, good, bad, and indifferent, but he was so assured that he did not mind. He had the potential to turn minds and hearts. He only faltered when he became uncertain of what he believed. I never 'jest,' Rex," Ghetsis said.

There was a coldness to his tone that frightened me. He looked remote suddenly, deep and unfathomable. He was angry, and I had made him that way.

"I presumed too much," I said. "I apologize, Lord Ghetsis."

"You did," Ghetsis said quietly.

He looked stormy for a moment more, but then his entire manner changed. He smiled and touched my shoulder.

"You are hard on yourself," he said gently. "You can't expect to give great speeches without any practice, or without any instruction. Watching me has taught you a little, but you don't understand what you're seeing."

I watched him warily. His sudden change of mood was disquieting. I was sure that it was forced. I was wise enough to know that Ghetsis was still angry, but suppressing it. He was trying to achieve something, something that I should probably have no part in; but I was starving for instruction, for anything that I could learn to help me reach my new goal. So far, Ghetsis had taught me more than anyone else, and this was only our second conversation. I would not jeopardize this, so I nodded wordlessly to encourage more teaching from him.

"Practice will come later. First, instruction. I'll tell you the secret to an amazing speech, the kind that turns people's hearts, the kind that changes people's minds. You think that you can't speak, so you despair. You think the words are everything, and why shouldn't you? The very name, 'speech,' is misleading. It brings to mind empty text, simple words, as if you are reasoning with logic. This is a lie. Words aren't the most important thing."

Ghetsis did not gesture much as he spoke. This surprised me. When he gave speeches, he used grand, expansive gestures that punctuated his words, underscoring them without seeming silly or forced. It looked so natural when he did it that I always imagined that he used them constantly, even in everyday life. It was jarring to see that was not the case.

"The most important thing you can say is nothing. It's what you convey. The most important part of your speech is earnestness and conviction," Ghetsis said. "If you have those, people will listen to you. Even if your words are simple at first, they will grow as you progress. On most occasions, if you want people to truly understand, it is best to be as simple as you can while still stating your point. You should state all your points, elaborating only as necessary.

A person's most important asset, and the one they are most likely to give you, is their time; however, if you want to be a really great speaker, you can't just take their time. You have to steal it," here, Ghetsis clenched his fist. He continued, "You have to believe that what you're saying is important. So important that they have to stop everything and listen. Do you really think that what you believe is worth their time? Do you believe that it is worth my time?"

I was staggered. I was listening to him, absorbing what he said. I was not ready to answer questions. I looked askance at him, to see if it was really a question or just rhetorical.

Ghetsis was watching me steadily, with an almost exaggerated look of patience. It was if he were teaching a small child. I bristled.

"But, Lord Ghetsis, you are taking the message to the masses! You already know this!" I said.

"Do I? Are you that certain that you and I believe the same things? It is rare, extremely rare, for two people to agree that completely," Ghetsis' smile was sharp again. "If I teach you, you will be instructed with knowledge and practice. Now I have taught you. Show me what you've learned."

"But I... I don't know where to start! And here..." I looked at Justin behind me, who was pretending not to listen, and Wilhelm to the side, who may not have been listening, and up to Marcus and Candace, who were talking animatedly and could not have heard. Then there was Zarah and Helena, already snickering to each other although they were probably jealous of the attention I was receiving. It was yesterday all over again.

I looked back at Ghetsis, expecting to see the stormy look back on his face; however, he did not look disapproving. Instead, he looked encouraging. Even his smile had softened.

"Conviction, Rex," he said. "The belief that what you know must be shared. Start with your most basic belief. Tell me your truth."

"I believe that it is wrong to keep pokémon in pokéballs," I said.

I felt foolish, telling Ghetsis the most basic tenet of our belief. After that, I was not sure what else to say.

"Is that it? Is that the depth of your conviction?" Ghetsis asked. He looked disappointed.

I did not want him to lose interest in me. I needed his instruction. I would have to do better.

"I believe that it is wrong to imprison pokémon in pokéballs, or in any other way," I said, a little louder than I had before.

Ghetsis still looked doubtful, so I continued.

"Pokémon, like humans, are sentient creatures. We would never keep a human in slavery, so why do we enslave pokémon? It is slavery. The nice words, like 'partner,' 'codependence,' 'friend,' and.. and 'ally,' they are empty words. Phrases we've made up to disguise the ugly word. Slavery. Pokémon are our slaves. We take a free creature from its environment and force it to do our will. When it stops struggling and obeys us without question, we call that... that..." I stopped. The word I had been about to say had vanished,

"We call that the 'bond' between a trainer and a pokémon," Ghetsis prompted.

It was not the word that I had lost, but it was good enough.

"That 'bond,' when the pokémon submits to us, is the moment that pokémon loses all hope. That 'bond' is the moment the pokémon gives up all dreams of freedom. That 'bond,'" I said, liking this idea better than my other one, "is the moment the pokémon realizes that its soul is bound to that little ball you carry in your pocket."

Zarah and Candace laughed.

"A pokémon's soul?" Justin asked, "Who says they have souls? Who says any of us do?"

"You should hear yourself," Candace snickered," 'we keep the souls of pokémon in our balls!' "

She said it in a comically deep voice that she projected as loud as she could. Her hysterical giggles did not help her projection, but she conveyed her point. Marcus and Justin laughed.

Wilhelm did not say anything, although he shot a disapproving look at Candace.

"Of course pokémon have souls!" Helena shot back at Justin, "How else do we have ghost pokémon?"

I felt that familiar blush creep up my neck, but beyond embarrassment I was angry. That was what I really believed! This is what they should believe!

"This is the will of my lord N!" I shouted. "Lord N, the king of Team Plasma! Lord N, the man that all of you serve, the man that you all obey!"

"Who said anything about Lord N?" Wihelm said finally. "Calm down, Rex. N isn't everything."

"If you didn't join Plasma for N, then why did you join at all? Team Plasma exists to implement his will. We serve to make him King of Unova. If you aren't serving N, you aren't serving for the true reason," I said.

"Are you calling him a traitor?" Zarah asked.

I turned on her, ready to continue. Maybe I was. Maybe everybody here was a traitor to Lord N. A heavy hand landed on my shoulder.

"That's enough. Everyone here is loyal to the goals of Team Plasma. You were all chosen specifically because of your tireless work and devotion to the cause," Ghetsis said. I bristled, but Ghetsis gripped my shoulder hard.

"I want you all to understand this. Even N works to forward Team Plasma's glorious assent. N is the people's king. He is the embodiment of us all. All of our hopes and desires are his hopes and desires. N is our one truth, the cumulation of all our ideals. N serves Team Plasma, even as Plasma serves him. So, no more talk about loyalties. There are no sides, there is only Plasma," Ghetsis said.

I felt his hand twitch, as if he were repressing a gesture. It would have been something simple, a sweep or a fist clench. This message had been a speech, I realized, not instruction.

"Plasma!" All the others cheered heartily.

"Plasma," I chimed in softly.

The atmosphere was mostly restored now and the talking resumed. Helena and Justin argued over pokémon souls, while Candace seemed to be imitating me to the amusement of Marcus amd Zarah. Wilhelm continued his silent way. I felt drained and slumped under Ghetsis' touch.

"I did badly," I said.

Ghetsis was silent. He appeared to be deep in thought. I was not even curious to know how I had done. I had failed. I had nearly torn apart the entire group. That was not how people were united. Now, Ghetsis would never teach me again.

"You see now why I try to avoid questions from the crowds," he said at last. He gave my arm a reassuring squeeze before letting his hand fall to his side. "You did well."

I stared at him. It was on my tongue to ask if he was joking, but I remembered how well that went over last time and refrained.

"Don't look so incredulous. Your voice burned with conviction and anyone who could not see your earnestness is a fool. Everyone listened to you. They were quiet while you spoke, until you used an unfortunate metaphor. I'm a little disappointed," Ghetsis sounded wistful and I looked up in mild panic, but he continued, "I wanted to hear the end of it."

"You did?" I asked. I felt so light, I thought I must have been glowing.

"You have a very incendiary method of speaking. It is dramatic, but also a bit abrasive. You need to keep better control of yourself while you're speaking."

"Yes, Lord Ghetsis," I said, still nearly bubbly with happiness.

"And something else. No more talk of treason. Team Plasma is a group made up of many diverse people with many diverse views. No one view is the correct one, and different reasons for enlistment are simply that. I see you joined because of N, and I hear that you are truly loyal to him. N will need people like you when he becomes king of Unova, but try not to persecute your teammates. I... N will need them too."

"Yes, Lord Ghetsis," I said.

Something about his words seemed strange to me, but I could not hold them in my mind. I had done well and Ghetsis was still beside me. We walked in silence to Accumula Town, but it was companionable and Ghetsis stayed with me the entire trip.


	3. Accumula Town Square 1

**3\. Accumula Town Square**

We arrived in Accumula Town a little earlier than we expected. The town was very busy and Ghetsis immediately dispatched Wilhelm to book us rooms in the hotel. Our outlandish outfits drew attention, but we were used to that by now. Ghetsis touched my arm, prompting my attention.

"Rex, I would like you to announce us," he said.

"Me?" I asked, taken aback. "But Wilhelm... he does that!"

"I will instruct you again. Listen, the difference between a good leader and great one is how they use their resources. Wilhelm has a calm, level head. He is able to carry out orders and successfully accomplish goals. Nothing excites him and he is excellent at mastering his fear. He also has a loud voice, which made him the most logical choice for the task; however, I have discovered a new talent in my group. I can now use Wilhelm in a manner he is better suited for, and shift this task to you."

"I am honored," I said. I was, too, in a way. I was pleased that he was still interested in teaching me. The memory of his praise still warmed me and filled me with confidence.

I looked at the elevated platform that rose in the center of the town square. These little rises were not uncommon in Accumula. The people who built the city did so with the ancestral memory of crushingly deep snows. Any sign of any importance was built on a rise and all the houses had tall stairways leading to the front door, so that the inhabitants could not be snowed inside.

I started toward it with confidence, but I stopped when Ghetsis called my name.

"Rex! This is also practice. This time, I want you to remain in control of yourself. Remember, this is just an announcement. Tell them who we are, inform them that I will be speaking at twelve o'clock, and thank them for their time and hospitality. That's all."

I nodded. Ghetsis dismissed me with a wave and I climbed to the top of the little rise.

It was strange to be elevated above the rest of the crowd. It brought to mind the days of my youth, as my pokémon and I toiled together to raise the majestic Black Tower to the sky. Looking down from the steel bones, I always felt detached from the rest of the world. It was thrilling at times, an indescribable rush of power, but it was also lonely. It felt like that now, here on this little hill.

I shook myself mentally. Those days were long gone. I would never subjugate another living creature to my will. Now I had a different calling, one that was going to start here.

People were beginning to stare. Only tourists climbed these hills, and even tourists did not dress like I did. I did not have long, though. Eventually they would remember their manners and then it would be awkward for them to acknowledge me. I had to talk now, while they were still curious.

"May I have your attention please?" I bellowed in my foreman's voice. It was still loud and commanding, despite the fact that I had not used it in over a year. It had its desired effect instantly. People looked at me and my words faltered. I looked for Ghetsis in the press. He was where I left him, speaking quietly to Candace. He was not even watching. He expected that I could do this. I took a breath. If I let him down, he would not teach me. I had to so this, so I plowed ahead.

"Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, we are Team Plasma. We have traveled to your city today to spread the message of pokémon liberation."

Grumbling arose at this, and some people turned away. Others still looked curious.

"Introduce, announce, thank. Introduce, announce, thank," I repeated to myself. Introduction was done, now on to the announcement.

"Our honored Sage will be speaking here at noon. We ask that you please attend and listen to the message that will affect you and the pokémon that you carry. All are invited to hear the words of our sage."

I could see people starting to lose interest. Had Wilhelm's announcements taken this long? Either way, I decided to move to the close of my message.

"Citizens of Accumula, we thank you for your time. We sincerely hope to see you again, here at noon, when our honored sage will speak. Thank you."

I retired from the rise as quickly as I dared. People were watching me, and that made me uncomfortable now that I was down here with them. What if they asked me a question, like the man from yesterday? What if I could not answer it and another pokémon was sentenced to eternal slavery because of it? Had my words held conviction? Had I stuttered? I could barely remember what I had said. What if I was not loud enough?

I spotted Ghetsis and the others with relief, but I had a dread of Ghetsis' review. What if I had utterly failed? Would he be disgusted with me?

I pushed my way through the crowd to Ghetsis' side. The Sage looked pleased.

"Ah, Rex. Good. Everything is proceeding according to plan. There is still time. We will go to the hotel and unpack. I plan to spend the night here," he said.

We both nodded. We fell into formation with the ease of long practice. I was a little put-out that Ghetsis did not acknowledge me. I had been nervous up there. I may not have been ashamed of my beliefs, but having the attention of so many people was a startling experience. Ghetsis treated it like nothing, and again I admired him for it. I could not help but wonder how long it would be until I could be that confident.

By the time we reached the hotel, I had managed to convince myself that Ghetsis was right to ignore my performance. It had only been my first try, after all, and though it got the job done, it lacked the finesse that I hoped to achieve. One day, I would do Ghetsis' part. Until then, I had so much to learn!

Helena was in the front, so she opened the door for Ghetsis and held it for the rest of us. I heard Justin yelp and say something rude. Helena marched straight-backed away from him and he rubbed his arm moodily. Apparently there were still hard feelings from earlier. I shook my head ruefully. That was my fault. It was sobering to think that my words had caused that kind of rift between those two. They had gotten along fine before. "A very incendiary method of speaking," Ghetsis had commented. I had been euphoric when he said that, but now I wondered if that was a complement or a caution.

I went upstairs with the others. Ghetsis stayed behind to talk to Wilhelm. I wondered if Wilhelm was angry that I had taken over one of his duties. Wilhelm was so stoic that it was hard to tell.

The girls went to their room and us guys to ours. I volunteered to unpack while Marcus and Justin alternated between napping and washing up. Wilhelm came in a little later. He had to prepare Ghetsis' room and attend the Sage before he could unpack and relax.

We did not have long before noon. Ghetsis had us all assembled in the lobby at twenty 'til. It was his "pre-game pep-talk," as Marcus called it. The girls giggled together while Marcus and Justin looked bored. Wilhelm was stoic, as usual. I was eager. Any chance to watch Ghetsis in his element was a treat for me.

"As usual, I would like to commend your work. Through us, Team Plasma's message has reached many and, today, it will reach many more. I know that this is a difficult task, wearying for both mind and body, but I remind you that it is only through such trials that we are made strong. Like a sword of old, through fire we are tempered and all impurities burned away. You cannot see yourselves as I can, but already you are changed," Ghetsis said, meeting all our eyes at once and radiating a warmth that made me shiver yet want to draw closer to him. He continued, "The hesitation, the uncertainty, the confusion, every day I watch these flaws draw away from you. When I chose my party, I selected only the best. My standards are high, my expectations daunting, yet none of you have disappointed me. Between the strokes of my instruction and your own desire to succeed, you've made yourselves ideal, bright blades, sharp with the truth of Team Plasma."

With his words he singled us out, and seemed to speak to every one of us individually. At the same time, I could not with any certainty say which words were aimed at whom. I flushed with pleasure. Even though he had not said it directly, I just knew that he had seen my efforts on the little hill today. Beyond that, I knew that he had approved and he was proud of me.

Ghetsis smiled at us all and continued, "I see an ideal world, where all truths are realized. Every day, this world grows closer. Every day, I see the world I want... the world Team Plasma wants, take a step toward us. I am proud to say that I see all of you reaching for it just as I do. When that day arrives, when Unova's hero unites the region under eternal peace and prosperity, people and pokémon alike will remember your efforts. They will speak of you with praise and honor, but they will never hold you in as high an esteem as I do. You honor us all. Plasma!"

"Plasma!" we all chimed in heartily,

We filed out of the hotel with smiles on our faces and solidarity in our hearts. Even Helena and Justin smiled at each other as we fell into formation as our banners snapped smartly in the breeze. We made our way to the plaza without mishap. Marcus and Candice planted our banners in the yielding soul, and then fell in line with the rest of us. I watched the crowd gather in anticipation. It was a larger one than the one Ghetsis had spoken to before. Soon, all these people would bask in the true knowledge of my lord N. Ghetsis stepped forward.

"My name is Ghetsis. I am here representing Team Plasma. Today, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to talk to you about pokémon liberation."

As usual, exclamations went up from the crowd at this, but this time none of them seemed unfriendly. Two young trainers in the back watched us in bewilderment instead of with the usual hostility. Another youngster in the front watched Ghetsis solemnly. This boy had his black hat pulled so far down that I was amazed that he could see at all.

"I'm sure most of you believe that we humans and Pokémon are partners that have come to live together because we want and need each other. However... Is that really the truth? Have you ever considered that perhaps we humans... only assume that this is the truth? Pokémon are subject to the selfish commands of Trainers. They get pushed around when they are our 'partners' at work. Can anyone say with confidence that there is no truth in what I'm saying?" Ghetsis asked.

This crowd really was receptive. While the majority of them only looked more confused, they still looked troubled. I saw fear on a few faces, and a look of fleeting pain on at least two. Of the two kids in the back, the one looked as confused as most of the crowd. The one with glasses looked pensive. The boy in the black hat ducked his head, his expression unreadable. His hair was green, I noticed. Why was that familiar?

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, pokémon are different from humans. They are living beings that contain unknown potential. They are living beings from whom we humans have much to learn. Tell me, what is our responsibility toward these wonderful beings called pokémon?"

Again the quiet voice. Again it carried even to the edges of the crowd. This time, many people had lost their defenses. I could see it in their eyes. So many bright eyes, looking up at Ghetsis and my Lord N's truth slowly crystallizing behind them.

"Liberation?" said the boy with glasses. He may have found the courage to speak first, but I did not like the disturbed look that was on his face when he said it.

Apparently Ghetsis agreed with my assessment. He looked over at the boy and nodded once before returning his full attention to the crowd.

"That's right! We must liberate the pokémon! Then, and only then, will humans and pokémon truly be equals. Everyone, I end my words here today by imploring you to consider the relationship between people and pokémon... and the correct way to proceed. We sincerely appreciate your attention."

There, again, was our cue to leave. Marcus and Candice pulled up our banners while the rest of us separated and made Ghetsis his space inside the formation. Our movements were quick and sharp, but my attention was caught by the boy in the black hat. I knew him. I knew I knew him. He watched us without any trace of emotion in his blue eyes. It was only when he looked at Ghetsis that a spark of longing lit his features. Ghetsis did not even seem to notice the boy. On cue we marched away as one, the confused crowd staring after us. I felt cold suddenly. How could I forget those blue eyes? While I had never seen them yearning, I had seen them lit with righteous anger and then with contempt. I had seen them when Lord N freed my pokémon.


	4. Accumula Town Square 2

**4\. Accumula Town**

"The crowd was excellent," Ghetsis said. He chuckled and rubbed his hands together.

"I don't get it," Candice said. "I think they all just looked confused."

"They didn't get it at all," Helena agreed. She shook her head, "I don't think I get it, either."

"Don't you?" Ghetsis asked. "Do you really not understand?"

He sounded honestly curious, and I could not spot any of his telltale marks of irritation. His good mood must be genuine indeed. Usually, he was not so tolerant of ignorance.

"What I accomplished today may not be apparent, but if you understand people it is painfully obvious. Rex!" Ghetsis said. "Tell me why this crowd was better than our last one."

"I don't know, Lord Ghetsis," I said. "Maybe because..."

"I don't require an answer immediately," Ghetsis said, but there was a snideness in his tone that made me bristle. "You told me you watched the crowds like I do. If that's true, then you noticed what was missing here. Take a moment to think, and then phrase your answer as a statement."

Candace and Marcus laughed. I felt my ears go red and I adverted my face to hide my wrathful glare. Why was Ghetsis mocking me in front of the others? He was mocking me. I had heard him use this same tone with an opinionated trainer a few towns back. At the time, I had been proud as he sent her slinking to the back of the crowd to jeers and catcalls. Now I felt bad for her. His rhetoric hurt when he wanted it to.

I sighed, and forced my thoughts away from my smarting pride. What had I noticed about the crowd today? Well, the presence of my Lord N certainly ranked highest. Lord N. Just the thought made me shiver. Had anyone else noticed him? I did not think so. Surely someone would have said something, and Ghetsis had not brought it up. Maybe he did not want to panic anyone, because he had to have seen N. I was half tempted to run back to the plaza and see if N was still there. I had so many questions I wanted to ask him, and what better way to learn than ask the one who made the rules? How long had I yearned to sit at N's feet and look up at him, listening to his truth and steadied by the conviction in his eyes...

Remembered devastation rose up so fast that I felt my eyes water. My last encounter with Lord N had been, quite literally, a soul-shattering experience. He was nothing but a boy, but he strode fearlessly onto my job site. My pokémon had not stopped him. They just stopped working and watched him. That was what had alerted me to his presence. I rounded on him and blistered him with words. I had worked in construction for eighteen years and I had been my own boss for three of them. I knew my way around the language. When he did not leave, I challenged him to a battle. When he revealed that he had no pokémon, I laughed. He was young, but not that young. Instead, he challenged me to a different battle. He gave me a dare.

"Rex," Ghetsis prompted. "Sometime today, if you would."

I looked up as if I had been slapped. The question, what was the question?

"What was different about this crowd?" I said.

Ghetsis sighed.

"You don't know," he said. He looked disappointed. "Next time, say so. It will save us all time..."

"They weren't hostile!" I said abruptly. I was as surprised as everyone else at the statement, but it was true. No one had heckled us, or tried to challenge us to a battle, or even looked angry. Instead, they were just confused, floored by the foreign ideas that Ghetsis injected into their world.

"Very good, Rex," Ghetsis said. His good humor restored, he started his lecture, "It is apparent that none of you have ever been teachers. Instructing others is my calling, so I have taught quite a few. It is easier to teach a stupid student than a belligerent one.

Yes, it is true. A stupid child requires time and patience, but if the teacher has those, he can be made to learn. An angry child, though, refuses to hear you. A teacher can explain a concept over and over, but no matter what he says or how well he words it, the child will refuse to understand.

The stupid child is what we have here today. They do not understand, so they need to be told again. There are none among them with firm foundations. Not one of them could speak their point with any believable conviction. Now, all I have to do is tell them again, before they have time to start building that conviction, before they again rationalize the lies that have governed our interactions with pokémon for these countless ages."

Ghetsis was on a roll now. This had not happened before, but it was obvious to us that he would probably go on for a while. Justin and Candace looked glassy-eyed, Wilhelm was unperturbed, Marcus yawned, Zarah studied something in the distance, and Helena was doing an admirable job of pretending to listen or trying to understand.

I soaked up the instruction, but not with the fervor that had driven me yesterday and this morning. Seeing N had sparked my drive for knowledge, and also brought to surface the painful reminder of why I had joined Team Plasma in the first place. There were people in that crowd right now that were wheeling in shock, directionless, and with no one to answer their questions. Hearing Ghetsis speak about teaching made me angry. If he really believed that...

"Then why did we leave?" I asked. It came out sharper than I had intended and sounded unabashedly accusatory. Ghetsis faltered midword and six pairs of eyes turned to stare. They weren't so glassy anymore.

Ghetsis recovered first, and almost instantly. His eye narrowed and his lips compressed into a tight line.

"We left because I decreed it," he said. His voice was chill as Froslass breath. There was no mistaking the state of his good humor.

"At this moment, there are people back there. Admittedly, they may be few, but they are there. They're not 'stupid children,' but they don't understand. Right now, those people are feeling convicted right here," I slapped my fist over my heart for emphasis. "They're confused and they're frightened, but they can hear the truth and they recognize it. They have questions, they want to understand, but they can't!"

The other grunts' eyes were darkening now with confusion; however, there was understanding in them too. I could feel myself rallying. The crowd was on my side.

"As you said yourself, the pokémon and trainer relationship has been ingrained for years. To move that aside, and plant new ideas is a feat in and of itself, but we leave! It's like telling that child there's such a thing as numbers, and then expecting him to learn to add two and two by himself. If he can't that doesn't make him stupid, it just means he needs instruction. What's worse is that he craves it, but it's snatched from him before he can learn! That's not just wrong, it's stup...!"

Ghetsis slapped me.

"That's enough," he said, his voice only a shade away from a hiss.

I felt significantly less bold now. Earlier today I had offended Ghetsis, and he had been scary then. The cold remoteness of his displeasure was nothing compared to his anger. A lesser man would have been shaking, trembling with rage, but Ghetsis was still. Besides the slap, he could have been a statue. Only the blazing of his eye and the snarl on his lips betrayed his emotions.

"You have disappointed me," he said. Chills ran down my spine, and I felt as if I had been frozen and then paralyzed.

"Do you dare presume to understand my plans? Do you dare to raise your face to me? You insolent lillipup! You can open your mouth and string words together, as even a chatot can, and yet you really believe that you are in anyway my equal? Do you really think you have the right to challenge me on anything?"

Ghetsis spoke in a soft voice when he was angry. Usually, his voice was a carrying thing, even in normal tones. His speaker's voice was powerful, loud, and charismatic. I had never heard his voice soft before and, now, I hoped never to hear it again. The soft words slid out of his mouth and bored into my brain, where they hardened instantly and sliced white-hot numbness across my consciousness.

Suddenly Ghetsis smiled, but to me it looked more like he bared his fangs. He set a hand on my shoulder and I instinctively flinched. I tried to back away, but his hold was firm. I missed his rage. I trusted it more. Now that he was smiling I was even more afraid.

"It's true that your little words interested me. As is my nature, as is my calling, I indulged you. I gave to you my time, and I offered you my knowledge," Ghetsis said patronizingly. He gripped my shoulder harder. I could feel his neatly manicured nails biting into my flesh. "However, it was an indulgence, Rex. Because you interested me, and I chose to amuse myself with you. I am no longer amused. You would do well from here on out to remember your place and to recall mine. What are you, Rex?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Instead, I felt my stomach lurch unpleasantly and the ground swirled around my feet. Ghetsis smiled in a way that was both pitying and predatory. His hand remained clamped to my shoulder in a way that looked friendly enough, but was really bruisingly brutal. He turned to the other grunts and motioned to Candace.

"It seems Rex's vaunted oratory skills have deserted him, so perhaps you can remind us all what Rex's station really is, hmm Candace?"

"He... He's a grunt sir," Candace said uncomfortably.

"That is true, although I recall your earlier impression of him to be more amusing," Ghetsis said. Although he spoke humorously, everyone could hear the dangerous edge to his voice. Candace squirmed at the reminder of her earlier antics. She did not seem to find them so funny now.

"Wilhelm, you've been quiet through this. Rex would do well to learn from you, but enlighten us. Am I not a Sage of Team Plasma?"

"You are, Lord Ghetsis," Wilhelm replied, unperturbed.

"Are not Sages chosen for their wisdom and their knowledge?" Ghetsis asked. "Justin?"

"Uh, yes?" Justin hazarded.

"Have any of you reason to suspect that I am deficient in either of those areas?" Ghetsis looked around the circle, meeting everyone's eyes one by one instead of all at once. As his gaze turned on them, every one met it for only a few seconds before ducking their heads in embarrassment. Even Wilhelm looked uncomfortable.

"None of you? Are you certain? Now is the time to speak up," Ghetsis urged, and it sounded so sincere that I actually looked at him just to make sure. He looked sincere, but when he turned his gaze back to me, the illusion cracked and a cruel smile spread across his face.

"Well, Rex? Do you doubt my sagicy?" he asked.

"No, Lord Ghetsis," I replied in a hoarse whisper.

"Speak up. Have you already forgotten the importance of conviction in a speech?" Ghetsis chided.

I was already flushed, but now I wished a trapinch would open its gaping maw and swallow me. Ghetsis could strike wells of shame better than anyone I'd ever met.

"Now, let's try this again. Do you doubt me?" Ghetsis asked me.

"No," I said, careful to speak at a normal tone.

"Do you believe me worthy of the status conferred upon me?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. I was too afraid to say anything else.

"Do you accept that I know best?"

"Yes," I managed, swallowing around the snorlax sized lump in my throat.

"Good. I'm pleased that we understand each other. It will keep these unfortunate misunderstandings to a minimum," Ghetsis said. He released my shoulder and instead cupped the back of my head. I stiffened at the feel of his fingers twining through my hair, afraid of what he might do. Instead of a harsh tug, though, he merely leaned forward and planted a kiss on my brow.

"Now, be at peace," Ghetsis said. He removed his touch from me. That alone went a long way toward making me feel at peace.

Ghetsis motioned to the others,

"Shall we continue?"

Silently, and with uneasy hearts, we did. Ghetsis, however, wore a smug, self-satisfied smirk the whole way back to the hotel.


	5. Accumula Hotel

**5\. Accumula Hotel**

Ghetsis retired to his room as soon as we returned to the hotel. Idle chatter returned at our Sage's departure, and by dinner the incident was mostly forgotten. Wilhelm spared me a sympathetic glance occasionally, but I was not very receptive. Although the others spoke highly of the food, I couldn't bring myself to eat. Instead I excused myself and went up to our room. As I climbed the stairs to the upper story, whispers followed from the dining room.

"...stupid. To think he could really..."

"...has balls, seriously. Would you...?"

"...reason I'm still alive..."

"...has a point, though..."

"Enough."

That was Wilhelm. Trust him to end rumors and speculation. He was probably citing a quote from Ghetsis at this moment. I didn't linger to hear it. I'd heard enough from the divine Sage today.

"Damn it!" I hissed.

I punched my fist into the wall. It hurt. It hurt a lot more than I remembered. In my former life, I had often hit things in frustration. I had been rougher, tougher, and meaner back then. Now, though, all those vaguely remembered faces and deadlines paled in comparison to what I'd lost this time. Because of my stupidity, I had lost Ghetsis' instruction. Anger and humiliation had been my driving emotions during the walk back, but after Ghetsis had left and I was able to sit down and relive every painful, frightening moment, I realized what I had really lost. Ghetsis was no longer amused by me. That thought sparked its own bit of righteous indignation. My pride tattered and bruised as it was, chafed at the thought of being nothing more than some other man's entertainment. In my former life, if any man had spoken to me like that, touched me like that, I would have knocked him flat on his ass, with my pokémon or my fists. Even now, I could hardly believe that I had stood there and allowed him to blister me like that. Hadn't he encouraged me to ask questions? Hadn't he said it was the Sages' duty to instruct us all? If that was the case, why did he turn on me? Why did he cast me out?

Even as I thought this, I knew what had happened. It was my tone, it was my posture, it was my aggressive, angry, incendiary method of speaking that turned a question into a challenge. A challenge that he could not back down from. A challenge he answered.

"Rex?" Wilhelm asked.

He startled me and I looked up from the doorknob in panic. I wasn't sure how long that I had been staring at it, or how I had gotten here. Looking at it, I wasn't even sure this was the right room.

"He was rough with you," Wilhelm said. He placed his hand on my shoulder in a solid manner. He was careful to avoid the little crescents bruises that Ghetsis had left. "He can be that way sometimes."

I could not bring myself to look at him and to see the sympathy that he offered me. To lose such a precious chance at a new life over something as foolish as misplaced pride! I did not deserve pity, I needed condemnation.

Wilhelm let his hand fall from my shoulder. He must have sensed my mindset.

"Our honored Sage would like to speak with you privately," he said in his normal bland tone. "If you will follow me, I'll take you to him."

I felt fear coil in my stomach. Wilhelm watched me implacably. I entertained the notion to tell his honored Saglyness to pick feathers off a bridge, but that was the fear talking. In the end, I nodded. There was nothing else I could do.

Our Sage's room was a little ways off from our own. It was a little larger than ours, but its true luxury was the steaming private bath. This little hotel was built in the true Hoenn style, with the common bathing rooms. I was an Unovan, born and bred, and could never quite get used to the concept. I was by no means shy, but there were somethings a man had to do in private!

Apparently there were some concessions to the Unovan mindset. I glanced at the water apprehensively. This was beginning to feel like one of those movies where the undercover agent is brought before the evil overlord for casual interrogation before the real torture starts. I had never been impressed by those movies before, but I was beginning to wish I'd seen more of them. When Ghetsis appeared out of a side room, I was relieved to see that he was still dressed in his usual robes. There were few things more awkward than talking to a man while he is in the bath. In my former line of work, I'd met Kantens, Johtens, Sinnish, and Hoennians, all who had considered it perfectly normal and an acceptable way to conduct business. Only we Unovans and the Kalosians held to our private showers, although Kalosians were as a rule up for anything...

I was very glad that Ghetsis was an Unovian.

"Your announcement left something to be desired," Ghetsis said testily.

"Yes Lord Ghetsis," Wilhelm said.

Ghetsis looked like he wanted to say something more, but Wilhelm's stoic expression never faltered. Ghetsis regarded Wilhelm a little longer before waving him away.

"That will be all, Wilhelm. You can take the rest of the night off. Rex will attend me instead," he said.

I swallowed unpleasantly. We all knew Wilhelm acted as Ghetsis' batman, but aside from giggling jokes and suggestions between Zarah and Candice, no one else had ever wanted to do it. Attend him? After today?

I looked in mute appeal to Wilhelm, but his gaze was fixed at some point over Ghetsis' shoulder.

"Yes Lord Ghetsis, thank you Lord Ghetsis," he said. He bowed slightly and left. Quickly and without a word. I suddenly wished I had accepted his sympathy earlier. I was not sure I was ready for condemnation.

"Come," Ghetsis said briskly, summoning me with a word and a impatient gesture.

I followed him into the room he had previously left. My steps were heavy and slow, weighed down by the nervous dread that held my mind in its talons. What was this? What punishment could he only dole out in private, here in this isolated hotel room?

He returned to the room he had only so recently left. It was the bedroom, appointed in typical hotel room style with a large bed. The decor was vaguely Hoennian, but the scroll painting put me more in the mind of Johto. The closet door was open and inside hung several of Ghetsis' heavy robes, all identical. A plush black bathrobe lay neatly folded next to standard stark white hotel towels on the bed.

"Unlace the back," Ghetsis prompted.

I stared at the Sage in confusion tinged with panic. Unlace what? Ghetsis' impatient expression hardened. I saw words form on his lips and malicious intent in his eye.

"Rex..." Never had anyone said my name so patronizingly. Even in my fear and self-loathing, I bristled. At this point I had nothing left to lose. They could hardly kick me out of Team Plasma. Even if they did, I would follow Lord N. As a civilian, I would probably see more of him than I saw now...

Ghetsis sighed. He presented his back to me and swept his hair over his shoulders. The odd leather shoulder guard laced up is several places in the back, I saw now. Normally they were well hidden by Ghetsis' hair, but now... I started in the center and loosened the first knot, tugging the reluctant cord back through tiny grommets.

"Gently, gently," Ghetsis cautioned.

I slowed and focused more on teasing the cord out. It took longer, but it was steady work that focused the mind. Ghetsis relaxed as the cord slipped free. I watched the tight tension leave his shoulders. He remained perfectly still until I finished, then he lifted the collar over his head and laid it down on the bed. It caused quite a depression in the soft comforter and even the mattress creaked. While Ghetsis undid the bright outer robe, I gave into curiosity and pushed the collar-piece experimentally. It was nothing I could not lift, but it was heavy enough that I wondered why anyone would wear it. It would take some strength to carry this around all day.

I turned an appraising eye on Ghetsis. Until now, I had only thought his voice was strong. I was wrong. The garish outer robe lay draped across a chair, and Ghetsis was already shrugging out of the white under robe. Although no triathlete, Ghetsis was not unfit. He spread his arms casually and I watched the play of muscle in them. Ghetsis and I were about the same height, and in my prime I would have put him to shame. Blazing Kyurim, I was probably still stronger than him; however, his personality and those robes he wore made him seem so much larger, even if they hid his physical strength. Damn, and he'd always struck me as a weak academic type.

"My robe, Rex," Ghetsis chided.

I flushed and grabbed it off the bed. I offered it to him and he met my eyes with a questioning quirk of his eyebrows. He lowered his arms and took the proffered robe. Too late I realized that I was supposed to put it on him. I gritted my teeth. I should not have to feel stupid over that. His Saglyness could don his own bathrobe...

"My tea set is on the table in the other room," Ghetsis said. "Do you know how to prepare tea?"

I shook my head. For most of my life, I had survived on water and coffee. Tea was something one drank at business meetings, and it came in bags. The Tea Ceremony was a Kanten thing. I had never learned it.

"Then you must learn. It is useful skill, and a relaxing one. Come with me," he said.

I followed him warily. His tone had been brisk, but kind. I did not trust these quick mood swings of his. A pleasant Ghetsis seemed only to mask darker emotions that it did not serve his purpose to show. Besides, he was no longer interested in me. Why would he teach me anything?

Ghetsis settled into an arm chair by his tea set. He ghosted his fingers over the pot. For a moment his controlled, regal look faltered. He looked softer for a moment. When he looked back at me, the softness was gone.

I had remained in the threshold. I wanted to gage his mood. I needed to know what I was dealing with. He looked annoyed. I did not like the way that made me feel almost ill. Never in my old life had anyone cowed me so. Ghetsis made me afraid, and I did not understand why!

"Come here Rex," Ghetsis said.

He motioned to me and, like a trained growlithe, I left the door and approached him.

"We will start from the beginning," Ghetsis said. "This task is simple, so I will not demonstrate. Instead, I will provide instruction. You will listen to what I say. If you understand, you will nod. You will then do as I have instructed. You will not speak. This is a time for quiet introspection. Do you understand?"

I nodded. I didn't much feel like talking anyway.

"In the fridge, you will find a carafe of water. Bring it here, and be careful to keep it still," Ghetsis said.

I turned toward the fridge, but Ghetsis' chiding "Rex," brought me up short. I felt my stare hardening into a glare. Really? He was going to insist on that?

"Do you understand?" Ghetsis asked.

I considered telling him that I did and then informing him that I didn't give a pretty wing. I really did, what game was this? What was he playing at?

"Haven't you humiliated me enough?" I asked. "What do you want now?"

Ghetsis' brows drew together and I waited for the anger that would have to come. Ghetsis looked at me and said nothing. The silence filled the room, words being replaced instead by gaze. His spoke authority and reproach, mine hurt and confusion. Even in my anger, though, I could not help but be conscious of our positions. I had been in the wrong, even if he had no right to forbid me from speaking.

I looked away and nodded. I fetched the water.

"Do not jostle it. As in everything, the purer the components the better the brew," Ghetsis continued, as if nothing had happened. "Pour it into the kettle on the counter and then turn the switch near the base. When you are finished, sit there," he indicated the seat on the other side of the tea set.

I nodded. The kettle was a little electric water heater that was already plugged into the wall. I poured the water into it and then flipped the switch that set it to heating. All of this seemed rather anticlimactic so far. The Tea Ceremony I'd been picturing had bowls and whisks in it and required elegant movements. It was easy to picture Ghetsis doing something like that. As I made my way over to the other arm chair, I looked at my own hands. They were softer now than they used to be, but it was hard to imagine my thick, blunt fingers ever being delicate enough for that kind of task. Ghetsis' fingers were long and beautiful, perfectly suited to things like tea and both grand and subtle gestures. I couldn't even picture the man holding a hammer or using a power tool. It wouldn't look right if he did.

"It is understandable that you are confused," Ghetsis said. I straightened self-consciously, my train of thought broken. I hadn't realized that I'd been staring.

"I realize that I hurt you today and I admit that it was my intention to shame you in front of the others. I am not ashamed, because you forced my hand," Ghetsis said.

I scowled, but I had figured as much myself. It still hurt that Ghetsis wasn't even a little repentant.

"Do you understand why I had to?" Ghetsis asked.

I grit my teeth, but relaxed with a sigh. I gave a slow nod. Ghetsis mirrored my movement with an approving half-smile.

"Good. It was N that set you off, I expect. I can't say that your vehemence was unexpected. Your loyalty to him is admirable; however, again, it is not cause to persecute your teammates or, in this case, your sage. As much as I admire your spirit, temper your anger. Use it to fuel your conviction. In the harsh glare of others' anger, your conviction must always burn brightest or you will falter. This does not mean you won't fail at times, but you cannot allow yourself to lose sight of your purpose. If you do, then you are truly lost," he said.

He clenched his hand. His tone was the same as it was when he talked to me on the road. Candid. Earnest, as if he were trying to teach me again. I listened quietly. So he had seen N. I had a mind to ask why he had said nothing, but at this point it was easier just to listen.

"Do you remember what I told you earlier today, about earnestness and conviction?" Ghetsis asked. I nodded.

"I told you they were important, although I did not explain why. Do you know how people perceive you, Rex?"

I opened my mouth, but closed it again when Ghetsis open look hardened. My anger flared for a moment at this continued censorship on my speech. Why should I suffer this indignity? How was I supposed to tell him how people perceived me when I wasn't allowed speech! This foolish silence he insisted on... If he would let me I'd tell him...

What?

It was then I realized that I did not know. I could tell him how I perceived myself, but that wasn't the question. How could I know what others thought of me? It was not possible.

I shook my head.

"You are a proud man, Rex. You show it in dozens of way. I see it in the set of your face; I hear it in the tone of your voice. Your teammates witness it daily through your aloof, condescending interactions with them. You do not see them as equals, you do not treat them as such," Ghetsis said.

I flushed and looked down. It was true. I had never thought highly of the kids. Even now, it was hard to think of myself on their level. I found myself remembering Wilhelm and the sympathy he'd offered. I hadn't accepted it because I hadn't thought I deserved it, or could it be because I didn't want anyone's pity? My eyes stung. Ghetsis' blunt summarization hurt.

"You are haughty to others outside the team as well. You are proud of your truth, and you are not afraid of its consequences. That is why you are frustrated by what you don't understand, and it is something to be admired. To be proud of something isn't bad, Rex," Ghetsis said so gently that a tear actually escaped my eye. I dared not wipe it away or look at the sage. Either would call attention to my weakness.

"Even now your pride shows, but alongside it is your weakness. You've been broken as only a proud man can be. In a moment, everything you believed in shattered. Although it is less obvious, I see that too. In your hesitance and your eyes, I see you use your pride, the broken shade of your former self, as a shield."

"Rex," his voice was coaxing and comforting, but my tears were falling more freely now. I couldn't look at him. I couldn't let him see me now.

"Rex," he said again, but this time his kindness was accompanied by two gentle hands on my shoulders and the sage himself kneeling down at the foot of my chair. His face was blurry, but the sympathy he offered was written there plainly. It was too much. With a ragged sob, I broke down and covered my face with my hands.

"Rex," Ghetsis said again. He tugged gently on my shoulders. That was all it took. I slid off the chair and rested my forehead in the crock of his neck. Ghetsis' arms went around me, and he stroked my hair in a comforting manner. This gentleness just caused me to cry harder. The sage held me close and whispered soft words.

"Hush, it's alright. Let it out, bare yourself. You must, if you wish to come to terms with yourself. You are safe here, so don't hide. I will not judge you, I will not condemn. Only you can decide what you feel, but you have to let yourself feel it first. Shh, it's alright. I know it hurts. Rex, don't hold back. Free yourself. Can you feel it?"

I nodded and clenched him harder.

"I'm sorry," I panted out. "I... I don't understand!"

"I know, I know," Ghetsis soothed. "I'm not asking you to."

"But I should! It's so simple, everything is so simple!" I said.

"Is it? Is it really? Rex, you're trying to understand a completely new mindset, one that is anathema to everything that the entire world has held common for centuries. It is anything but simple! Don't be so harsh with yourself. Just relax. Shh..."

That was the end of any real conversation. I sobbed and Ghetsis' soft words no longer sliced but comforted. The gentle rise and fall of the sage's chest and the rythmatic way he stroked my head steadied and accepted my weakness, gently soothing my fears and worries. Even his scent was comforting. My sobs subsided slowly into coughs and hiccups. My tears no longer flowed, but I could feel them close to the surface. I felt drained and empty. I looked up at Ghetsis. The sage was smiling. His eyes glowed with... Pleasure? Satisfaction? I wasn't sure which, but right now I needed his strength and seeing him happy bolstered my own spirits.

"Do you feel better?" Ghetsis asked.

"Lord Ghetsis..." I said although my voice weaker than I thought. I couldn't trust my feelings right now. I was perfectly content in the sage's embrace.

"Rex, remember...?" he chided.

I wasn't even offended. I nodded like I knew he wanted. I was happy to do so.

"Sit back in the chair," Ghetsis instructed.

I frowned. I didn't want to, but the sage stood and I released my grip on him reluctantly. I eased into the chair. Ghetsis went over to the electric kettle and unplugged it. I got to my feet, but the he stopped me with a gesture.

"No," he said. "I will do this."

I sat back down and watched as Ghetsis readied the pot. He slipped a metal strainer into place inside it and then sifted leaves into it as before. He poured the hot water into the pot, settled the lid, and then flipped over the tiny hourglass as he had before.

"One day, I will show you a true Tea Ceremony, but today this is all I require," Ghetsis said.

I watched him in a daze. It seemed surreal now, but I could still feel the tears prickling at the corner of my eyes and there was a blacker shadow on Ghetsis' plush black bathrobe. Ghetsis seemed content with the silence. It suited me as well. I was trying to get my emotions back in order. I did not try very hard. I would feel better in the morning. All I needed now was to not cry again. When the hourglass ran out, Ghetsis removed the strainer with the little tongs and poured the tea into the white and black cups. I took the white one and cradled it in my hands. The warmth was comforting. Ghetsis took the black and sipped his tea. The silence stretched on, but it was the comfortable silence we'd shared... This morning? God, how was the morning so far away?

"You should always know how you are perceived. It isn't enough to simply project an image, you must know how others see that image. It's like the sound of your voice. You hear it one way, although everyone else hears it another. You had no idea how others saw you. You even thought yourself humble. Take this as a lesson on how deceptive your own perception can be," Ghetsis said.

I glanced over at him. He smiled, and it was sharper than the gentleness he'd offered earlier. The sharpness reminded me of his biting words, but I felt grounded by it. The tears that had been waiting to ambush me receded and I felt a shaky semblance of strength return. I managed a half-smile and a nod.

"Remember your feelings now, because this is what humility looks like on you. I encourage you to examine yourself in the mirror, or even take a picture. You need to know how to reproduce this in the future, ideally on command whenever the need strikes you; however, that wasn't what I wanted to tell you. Earlier you had some questions that, despite your attitude, I want to answer."

I grit my teeth against the embarrassment and kept my gaze steady on the sage. Ghetsis sipped his tea in an unconcerned manner and regarded the wall instead of me.

"We left because I decreed it. It was a simple answer, true after a fashion. It didn't satisfy you, of course. I delivered it as a warning. The knowledge that I am sharing with you is special, Rex. I am very wise, and I know a great many things; however, this power, my ability to shape perceptions with my body and my voice, this is my ultimate gift. These lessons are a baring of my soul and although I share myself daily, I will not give my soul to swine," he sounded disdainful and he looked it, too. I wasn't sure I liked his face with a sneer on it. "The others would not make use of what I share with you. It is not their calling. They have faith, they believe in me. It may seem childish to you, even lazy, but what is conviction without faith? Your conviction lies in N, but only because you have faith that what he says is true, hmm?"

Ghetsis looked over at me. I stared hard, but not at him.

Faith. Another new word in this new life. Another word with no meaning before. Even now, I chafed at calling my respect something as wistful as faith. Belief, conviction, those were strong words. That was how I believed. Ghetsis was wrong to equate something so weak with things so strong, but that was a discussion. I had only yes and no.

I nodded yes. What he said was close enough.

Why, though, did he speak as if there were doubt to Lord N's tenets? He of all people should believe in N fully!

Ghetsis' sneer softened into a frown.

"I see that, the disapproval in your eyes. You think I speak heresy, and it stirs your blood, doesn't it? Tell me, Rex, have you ever reasoned better in anger?" he asked loftily.

I frowned, too. What was he getting at? I kept still and waited.

"Anger, does it sharpen your wits, strengthen your blows, feed your audacity? Does it make you feel powerful? Oh, yes," Ghetsis answered himself. "There's nothing quite like the feeling of a towering rage. You can forget yourself and singe those who've hurt you. No holds barred."

Well, that is the absolute worst thing you can do it a speech. Forget yourself? Ha!" The sage shook his head. "You are the person you must always be mindful of! Perception, Rex! How do those watching you see you? Always, always think of that!"

"Now, why don't I take questions from the crowd? Why do I leave? Think about what I've told you. Do you understand?"

I just watched him. Again, like last night, I felt a sort of excitement. There was the feeling that I knew, but it was tantalizingly out of reach. I shook my head. Even if I knew, I couldn't tell him. Ghetsis smiled, but there was something about it that was different from his other smiles. This was like the one he shared with the teapot, only more animated. His eye seemed to almost blaze with feeling, but what kind I wasn't sure.

"No? Perception! When I'm in front of them, I have to be everything! A teacher, a confident, a friend, an authority... To be truly successful, I have to be everything to everyone and, quite frankly, that's not possible," Ghetsis said. "So I do what I can, project what I can. I plant my message and retire. If I stayed, my words would lose their power. It is best to let those who are truly curious come to us."

I shook my head. I thought I understood what he was saying, but I still was not sure that he was correct. I looked up with a frown and I felt the line of my brow that indicated disapproval. Again, I never would have noticed before, but I was hyperaware of my every move. Ghetsis' work, I thought with a now familiar awe, tinged faintly with despair. How could I ever learn to do what he did?

I need not have bothered expressing my feelings so bluntly. Ghetsis must have read my mind from the set if my shoulders or the tension in my fingers or something.

"You still doubt? Then consider this. In a crowd, it is easy to lose one's self. A person feels safer and natural inhibitions are loosened so that even a shy person can become a fierce heckler. Even innocent questions can be taken up by bad spirited people, and then suddenly you are surrounded by a hundred questions. Who do you answer first, who is most sincere, and who needs silenced... It's taxing even on me. Even if you answer, that only stirs more questions from others. That is assuming that those questioning you are doing so sincerely. Most questions from a crowd with vastly differing ideals are not meant kindly. The crowd is too chaotic and most of what it says is foolish and baiting. They want to get you angry and that is something you cannot allow," Ghetsis said.

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He looked tired suddenly and older. He sipped his tea and sighed.

"Do you understand?" he asked me.

I frowned and my brow furrowed again, but I felt my cheeks bunch differently and I knew that this was my pensive look. I wondered if that was how others perceived it, but I knew my mind was wandering.

Did I understand? Yes, I did. I knew what he was trying to tell me. He was trying to tell me that crowds were too simple to receive instruction and that they would not be able to understand what he was saying. It was an extension of his "stupid children" argument from earlier. I did not like that, nor did I believe that it was true. No person was stupid and anyone could understand. Ignorance was not the same as stupidity.

His caution stemmed from fear, I thought. Fear of the "belligerent child." Ghetsis stressed appearances and seemed very worried about being taunted out of his facade. Why? Why would he have to worry about his emotions when what he said was the convicted truth? If a person got angry about something they believed in, how was that wrong? It only meant that he was sharper witted and fiercer about the truth and Ghetsis angry was a powerful sight indeed. I remembered his hissed words and stinging slap again with a shiver. That intimidation was strong enough to cow me, how much more effective would it be on others if he...

The thought was rogue and fleeting. I grasped at it while I sipped at my lukewarm tea. Perception. Could it be?

"You're not as scary to them," I said. "Fear, that isn't what you want from them."

"It's true; I don't know any of them as well as I know you. The same is true of them. I don't want them to fear me. I want them to respect me, to see me as a reasonable, well-educated man who is kind and considerate and very, very worried for them. People are more malleable when they think they have a problem, and they are more likely to take advice from an expert. Consider dieting fads as an example," Ghetsis said with a tired smile. "I hardly want to be scary, Rex. Not to them and certainly not to you. All I demand of you is respect, and all I ask is a little faith. Trust me, believe me. One day you and I will converse as equals. I look forward to that, that day," Ghetsis said wistfully.

I looked over at the sage. I wanted to see his look. Ghetsis was looking at me, but his gaze was not as direct, as if he were seeing something beyond me or maybe someone else entirely. His lips curved up in a contented smile, again like for the teapot. I felt uncomfortable. If not me, than what was he seeing that made him look so open, so raw?

The sage shook his head ruefully and rested his forehead on his hand.

"Bedtime, Rex," he said. "Tomorrow will be busy, I expect. I want to be rested for it."

"Yes, Lord Ghetsis," I said. I put my cup down and hovered over the tray awkwardly. Should I pick it up? Should I clean it, or would he tell me?

"I'll take care of it," Ghetsis said. He made a shooing motion with his hand. "Leave me and take your own rest."

I nodded and made my way to the door. I paused before the door, and it was well I did. My instincts were right and Ghetsis called,

"Rex, wake Wilhelm and inform him that I wish both of you to attend me in the morning ," he said. "He'll understand."

I nodded, too drained to think much more than that I would be out of bed sooner. I left the sage's room and went to my own. I opened it softly as possible for hotel doors. I could hear the contented snores of Marcus and Justin's occasional whimper. Marcus was sprawled across one bed, while Justin was curled on the sofa. Wilhelm slept like a dead man on top of the covers of the other bed. I sat down next to him as I pulled off my boots and shrugged out of the surcoat and hood. When I looked at Wilhelm next, he had not moved but his eyes were open and he was regarding me passively.

"Um, Ghetsis wants us both tomorrow morning," I whispered.

Wilhelm said nothing. The light shifted minutely on his face in what might have been a nod before he rolled over and relaxed with a soft sigh. A few minutes later he started to snore softly.

I struggled under the covers and lay staring at the ceiling. When I drifted off I was still thinking about Ghetsis and appearances and that small, wistful smile that made my heart hurt.


	6. Accumula Hotel 2

**6\. Accumula Hotel 2**

I came awake to a firm touch on my shoulder. I'd felt Wilhelm leave the bed, but I usually slept with him and was used to him leaving before the rest of us. I opened my eyes to his serious face staring down at me. "We have thirty minutes. Get dressed. Room service will bring our breakfast," he said.

He disappeared into the bathroom. I yawned and stretched. I was dressed by the time Wilhelm came out and was munching idly on a large leppa berry from the room service tray. I ducked into the bathroom and examined myself in the mirror. A little tired, but those dark circles never went away. I needed to shave, and made quick work of it. Maybe one day I'd just let my beard grow and save myself the trouble. We were late when I came out, but Wilhelm said nothing. He finished his Ancient Grain Cornn Flakes while I poured myself a coffee. I cooled it liberally with MooMoo milk and drank it fast. Wilhelm was waiting on me. He set our breakfast tray outside the door and we walked together down the halls to Ghetsis' room.

I looked at Wilhelm apprehensively. He was being quiet, as usual; however, I couldn't help but wonder how he felt about my intrusion on his duties. I remembered his sympathy from the night before and I also remembered Ghetsis' admonishment about my pride. Wilhelm was not a bad sort, for all his silence. It couldn't hurt to try to make up for my aloofness, even if it was too late,

"So, what do we do in the morning?" I asked.

Wilhelm said nothing. I waited, but he did not seem inclined to answer. I sighed. Maybe he was angry after all.

"We make his tea and set up his breakfast," Wilhelm said suddenly. "We won't bother being quiet, because he prefers to wake up to the sound of people moving around, but we can't go into the bedroom until he's in the shower. He has regular habits, so he'll be in there for about thirty to forty-five minutes. We'll make his bed and lay out his clothes, but he'll wear the white dressing gown for his breakfast and he'll need his slippers of course. When you hear him shaving, that's when you send for his breakfast. I arranged for it yesterday. He always takes the same, razzberry oatmeal with a splash of milk, six peeled grepa berries with a half teaspoon of sugar, and a boiled egg on the side. He'll want a copy of the local paper and the Castella Tribute, and wepear leaf tea blend for breakfast and a cup of milky Oran-Sitrus Zing when he's finished. Then he'll take thirty minutes alone in the bedroom for stretches and meditation, and after that we have to get him dressed. He'll want his honey water left on the table, but then he'll send us away so that he can be alone. That's about all he'll want until eleven-thirty when he'll expect his lunch."

I stared wide eyed at the taciturn Wilhelm.

"That is the most I've ever heard you say," I said, half joking half serious.

"You need to know," he said simply.

"You think so?" I asked. Wilhelm nodded. "God, did you use up all your words for the month?"

Wilhelm shook his head with a small smile.

"I just want you to know, I didn't ask to intrude. It wasn't my intention to take your tasks," I said quickly.

I waited for his smile to falter, but it didn't.

"I don't mind. I expected it," he said.

"Really? And it doesn't bother you at all?"

"No," Wilhelm said. At my incredulous look, he smiled a little wider. "I knew yesterday when you fought with him and I was certain last night when he sent me for you. He likes spirit and he really likes yours. You challenge him. I don't. I can't, and I don't want to. He is regular in his habits, but his moods are quick and unpredictable. He can be cruel and kind in a breath and I..." Wilhelm looked looked grave. "Quand le maître est rude, l'ètudiant est digne. It's Kalosian. Do you know what it means?"

"No," I said.

"It's a popular saying, and translates roughly to 'When the master is harsh, the student is worthy.' I am not, but you, you want to be, don't you?"

"I... Yes, I do," I said.

"Be careful," Wilhelm said.

I gave him a quizzical look, but he opened the door to Ghetsis' room and said nothing more to me.


End file.
